The 2026-2027 Statewide Information System (SIS) Handbook has been published on the ADE Data Center: SIS Handbook Portal website. The SIS handbook is released prior to March 1^st of every year for districts to plan in ahead for the data entry needs in eSchoolPLUS, eFinancePLUS and SIS LEA Profile source systems.

The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) - Office of Information Technology also released SIS Handbook web-based online/digital version along with color PDF version for the year 2026 - 2027. The SIS is updated yearly; either to remove data elements that are no longer needed, modify current data collection items per cycle and/or, to add new data elements as required by Ad-hoc, State and Federal reporting requirements. 

SIS Handbook Portal

On a high-level overview, this year the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) is making changes in a few areas to improve the over-all data collection process. Attached with a memo is a PDF copy of the 2026-2027 SIS Handbook highlighting changes: additions (color-coded: Green), modifications (color-coded: Yellow) and deletions (color-coded: Red).

For a quick preview of SIS Handbook changes for school year, 2026-2027, use the below direct URL: SIS Handbook | Changes 2026 -2027

The Statewide Information System (SIS) handbook is now published (posted) on the ADE Data Center under the Information and Data Portals: Statewide Information System Handbook (Data Dictionary) Portal.

SIS Handbook Portal High-Level Features:

• Ability to download and print each SIS table individually as PDF or excel.
• Ability to compare individual table with a prior year and track changes in comparison to the prior year.
• Ability to search and download the appendices as PDF and Excel
• Ability to search and sort available on all pages
• Ability to custom search for the SIS Handbook
• Ability to drill down the appendices for County, District
• Inclusion of dedicated ‘Data Changes’ tab to track all changes (addition, modification, deletion) for the current year by table, appendix and report

The SIS implements the provisions of several Arkansas General Assembly enactments which mandate that the ADE make extensive use of Information Technology (IT) at the state and the local levels to provide accurate and timely information to policy makers and to reduce the state reporting burden. This is an important data collection and reporting process which requires continuous attention to detail throughout the year encompassing nine (9) submission cycles.  

Attachments